Poll: Do you automatically respect people in the military?
- Thread starter Xan Krieger
- Start date
Recommended Videos
I'm actually surprised at these results. I absolutely respect the military - but that's probably because they don't have much of a presence here, so we don't see or interact with them enough to hear anything but their courageous war efforts.
But seriously, war is the scariest thing ever. I'd give major kudos to anyone that could brave it.
But seriously, war is the scariest thing ever. I'd give major kudos to anyone that could brave it.
I love when people dismiss facts as nonsense, and then assert opinions as facts. lolShadowstar38 said:
Most enlistees join the military straight out of high school because they don't want to go to college or work at a Burger King or JCPenney.
Many enlistees are high school dropouts with GEDs.
Not a lot to respect there, unless you're conditioned to respect the uniform.
Uniforms are symbols. And I leave symbols to the 'symbol'-minded.
Many enlistees are high school dropouts with GEDs.
Not a lot to respect there, unless you're conditioned to respect the uniform.
Uniforms are symbols. And I leave symbols to the 'symbol'-minded.
Nope. Just left out the part where it makes it clear you where talking about rape.Shadowstar38 said:
They go through hell in order to be part of the military, willingly choose to give away their ability to direct their own fate for a period of time, while knowing full well that they probably will be called on to risk their lives for the rest of us.
That uniform earns them some respect by default, if only because of what they did to earn it. There are those that do not live up to that respect, and there are those who deserve FAR more.
That uniform earns them some respect by default, if only because of what they did to earn it. There are those that do not live up to that respect, and there are those who deserve FAR more.
While it doesn't align with my thoughts on the subject perfectly, this does sum up my feelings pretty well. I find that some people also use their military status to get away with shit, not unlike how some people use "anonymous" as a way to be rude and obnoxious to people for no legitimate reason, except the horror stories I've heard about people in the military getting away with make me quite sick with anger.mechashiva77 said:
I would also point out my father was a military man, and he was a complete jerk, didn't want kids, and my parents divorced after I was born. Last I heard, he still has no kids although he remarried. My cousin's father was also in the military. The guy's arrogant, thinks he knows everything, and can be quite intolerable with his stupidity. So I also don't think everyone in the military are necessarily good people. I can't say if being in the military does that to some people, or if they were like that before, though.
No. I mean, click on my name in the first part. You're quoting another person.PromethianSpark said:
I think its admirable what they do, and for that theirs a little respect I have ot have towards them. but other then that... i cant say I respect them anymore than other public service peoples (police, firefighters, EMTs, etc), and there's certainly room for individuals to lose my respect. especially if they have an attitude like they're superior to you just because they went into the military.
That's factually wrong.cswurt said:
http://www.higheredinfo.org/dbrowser/index.php?submeasure=36&year=2009&level=nation&mode=graph&state=0
http://www.heritage.org/static/reportimages/D57B14D0FDA19B871A0B5B252BF3955B.gif
If that's too much to bother reading, here's one choice quote:
http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2008/08/who-serves-in-the-us-military-the-demographics-of-enlisted-troops-and-officers
If you bother to read the above article, you will also find that the notion that people enlist simply because there's nothing better for them is also completely false. Keep in mind that these statistics were taken during two wars when the quality would be lowered to allow for a larger military force.
Of course not. I only base my opinion on people on how they act or what they say etc... I couldn't care less about their professions.
"Oh, so you're a soldier? That's cool, but that doesn't prevent you from being an asshole".
"Oh, so you're a soldier? That's cool, but that doesn't prevent you from being an asshole".
I will do much to make someone who works in the military comfortable. That includes giving them my seat stuff like that. As someone who was going to join the military my research did not paint a pretty picture for them at all. No one deserves making 55k a year with an hour to hour day to day worry that the next car that passes you by is about to go boom. Yet our sports stars get millions a year based on the same "it might ruin the rest of your life" principle.
Look I know they have a choice, but not all of them have a choice choice, but it doesn't make their lives any better.
Oh please don't get confused with respecting soldiers and supporting military actions. They are two completely separate things.
Look I know they have a choice, but not all of them have a choice choice, but it doesn't make their lives any better.
Oh please don't get confused with respecting soldiers and supporting military actions. They are two completely separate things.
basic respect I give anyone else as common curtesy to human beings in general? Yeah, sure, they get that.
Some sort of advanced respect based solely on the job they have rather then individual characteristics that merit such respect being given? Gonna go with "no"
I am sorry if people disagree, but I don't give a shit what your job title is, you are not your job title, and even if you are the president, you will not be given any more base respect then a homeless man on the street in my eyes.
Now I can look at the person, go to myself "well, they are in the military, therefore they might have skills worthy of respect, training and physical ability worth respecting or capacity and talent in their field to merit respect. But then again, knowing nothing else, I know some people can slip through the system and get in the military who are terrible people with nothing redeeming about them too. So to that effect, I find it far more wiser to just given everyone a base about of respect for human dignity and let them determine for themselves if they get more by their actions and so on.
Honestly, I don't get why anyone would give the military, police, firefighters or anyone else extra respect just for the job title. If they saved someone from a burning building or single handily shot down 6 armed gunmen to save a family, then their actions gets them much respect, but since anyone could theoretically do that (even if astronomically far less likely for say, a mcdonalds fry cook to take down that many armed gunmen), I wouldn't treat someone better because they have a higher chance of doing something worthy of respect. Either you do it or you don't, not going to bank on the job title that you'll get around to it...
as a side note, I suppose someone could actively hate the military just as easily as respect it. I've heard it described as very close to selling your soul to be a government killer at times and while far from the norm or the truth, there is a sort of logic about being questionable to someone who lets the interests of a national military dictate who they think it is ok to kill. But this sort of reason is the flip side of why I don't disrespect anyone just because of job title either. people are individuals, they earn or lose respect for their own actions. Jobs are sort of secondary, and even if you might be more likely to do something bad ass or save lives in one profession over another, it doesn't mean you should get props for it until you do.
Some sort of advanced respect based solely on the job they have rather then individual characteristics that merit such respect being given? Gonna go with "no"
I am sorry if people disagree, but I don't give a shit what your job title is, you are not your job title, and even if you are the president, you will not be given any more base respect then a homeless man on the street in my eyes.
Now I can look at the person, go to myself "well, they are in the military, therefore they might have skills worthy of respect, training and physical ability worth respecting or capacity and talent in their field to merit respect. But then again, knowing nothing else, I know some people can slip through the system and get in the military who are terrible people with nothing redeeming about them too. So to that effect, I find it far more wiser to just given everyone a base about of respect for human dignity and let them determine for themselves if they get more by their actions and so on.
Honestly, I don't get why anyone would give the military, police, firefighters or anyone else extra respect just for the job title. If they saved someone from a burning building or single handily shot down 6 armed gunmen to save a family, then their actions gets them much respect, but since anyone could theoretically do that (even if astronomically far less likely for say, a mcdonalds fry cook to take down that many armed gunmen), I wouldn't treat someone better because they have a higher chance of doing something worthy of respect. Either you do it or you don't, not going to bank on the job title that you'll get around to it...
as a side note, I suppose someone could actively hate the military just as easily as respect it. I've heard it described as very close to selling your soul to be a government killer at times and while far from the norm or the truth, there is a sort of logic about being questionable to someone who lets the interests of a national military dictate who they think it is ok to kill. But this sort of reason is the flip side of why I don't disrespect anyone just because of job title either. people are individuals, they earn or lose respect for their own actions. Jobs are sort of secondary, and even if you might be more likely to do something bad ass or save lives in one profession over another, it doesn't mean you should get props for it until you do.
I do afford people in the military a sort of, dunno what to call it, "formal respect," as in, a heightened level of courtesy. In filling a shitty but necessary role in society (albeit a role that's been expanded way beyond necessity, but that's not their fault), there's a decent chance they've been through some pretty horrible experiences, lost friends, etc. So I try to stay polite and courteous around them a little more than I would for, uh, civilians.
But as for personal respect, that obviously comes from knowing them personally. Not that they should really give a shit how much one college kid respects them, unless they're friends with that particular college kid. In which case he probably respects them anyway.
But as for personal respect, that obviously comes from knowing them personally. Not that they should really give a shit how much one college kid respects them, unless they're friends with that particular college kid. In which case he probably respects them anyway.
"War is an ill thing, as I surely know. But 'twould be an ill world for weaponless dreamers if evil men were not now and then slain."
-Rudyard Kipling, Kim
I take issue with some of OP's statement and implicit assumptions, but the responses generated have been enlightening. I appreciate occasional reminders, like this thread, that plenty of people have a fundamentally different view of the world.
-Rudyard Kipling, Kim
I take issue with some of OP's statement and implicit assumptions, but the responses generated have been enlightening. I appreciate occasional reminders, like this thread, that plenty of people have a fundamentally different view of the world.
Thanks for taking the time to engage on this.Midnight Crossroads said:
Dyre, you get my award for Most Balanced And Well-Reasoned Post On The Page Right Now.dyre said: